Jurickson Profar atoning for past, becomes key in Braves’ outlook

Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar might be winning over even his greatest skeptics. Or at least quieting them.

“That’s not my decision,” Profar said of changing outside perception. “I can only control what I can control. What I always control is doing my best and helping the team win. That’s me.”

Profar’s debut season with the Braves has been the proverbial mixed bag, from a suspension to a sensational closing argument. With the Braves’ campaign long spoiled, focus has largely centered on the future. And Profar has shown he’s going to be a crucial part of it; not just because of the contract, but because his play is conducive to winning.

After a ho-hum July, Profar was a player of the month candidate in August. This was the Braves’ vision realized: He hit .295 with 1.026 OPS, smacking nine homers, five doubles and accruing 26 RBIs. He was an engineer for the offense, a true ignitor as a leadoff man. He’s maintained that success into September, homering as recently as Tuesday.

“We’re from the same island (Curacao), I always looked up to him when I was young because he was a couple years older than me and he made it to the league,” second baseman Ozzie Albies said. “To see him, obviously I knew a lot about him because he was one of the biggest prospects from Curacao. … Yeah (this is exactly what I expected). And he can be better, and he knows it.”

Perhaps this Braves season plays out differently if Profar was on the field. Maybe it was doomed regardless — there might’ve been too much misfortune to overcome — but the Profar of the past six weeks is a table-setting difference-maker. He was the type of player the Braves desperately needed in the first half as their offense slumped.

What a strange year for the Braves’ only marquee offseason acquisition. After only four games, it was announced Profar had been suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance. That also made him ineligible for the postseason, a development that was then considered important.

He was out of sight and out of mind for months afterward. The team didn’t take kindly to Profar’s betrayal, nor should it have. Profar apologized publicly upon his return. His teammates supported him while speaking with reporters.

“He’s one of us, he’s a member of this team, to me he’s like a brother,” outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. said. “We all make mistakes, I think now it’s just about turning the page and moving on.”

That was never lost on Profar, who’s since spoken glowingly at every turn about how much he appreciates the organization.

“With the tough time I had this year, the front office, my teammates, the fans in Atlanta, it’s felt good,” he said. “They don’t feel like they were killing me for what happened.”

Certainly, the Braves’ enthusiastic fan base would likewise forgive his sins if he proved worthy of the three-year, $42 million deal the Braves provided him last winter. Profar’s avengement has been an important second-half subplot, one that will leave all involved feeling optimistic heading into next spring.